A Little Misunderstanding
by Star Tiger1
Summary: This is what Friendly Persuasion was supposed to be: Kagome has asked a friend to help her confuse a cursed Kouga for a little bit in the meantime, Miroku & Kaede try to break the curse, & Kagome's friend has to fend off the wolf demon by herself!
1. Malfunction

Disclaimer: They're not mine, I get it already! If there are any names you don't recognize, then those are probably mine, but for more of an explanation on this, please read the end note. Thanks and enjoy!

A Little Misunderstanding

Chapter One:

Malfunction

Life sucked.

Well, that's what he guessed Kagome would say at a time like this.

"Give His Lordship the Tetsusaiga and we may let you live, you filthy runt!"

As if Sesshomaru's presence weren't bad enough, Jaken just _had_ to squeak out his own taunts and ravings while doing nothing. His 'Lord', however, was all action and very little small talk. It was the same old stuff anyway, "Give me Tetsusaiga or die,". Couldn't he think of anything _else_ to say? They both knew that Sesshomaru's whole intention was to kill him anyway…

Then there was Rin, who was now looking for Kagome — weren't they all? — to show her a garland she'd woven earlier that day when Mr. Pole-Up-His-Ass _hadn't_ been trying to kill his younger half brother.

"Oi! Mutt! Where'd you go off hiding?"

Sighing from his hiding place, Inu-Yasha had to stifle a groan lest anyone hear him. Yep, even Kouga had seen fit to come by on this particular night to try and take Kagome from him, er, _them_… as in the group… yes, that was what he'd meant.

To top it all off, he was human tonight.

Thus, he'd been sealed near the Bone Eater's Well just in case anyone got too close and he needed to make a quick escape. Kaede and Miroku had devised a way for the spell to break only when his unnerving human adrenaline rose to a point of fleeing… or some sort. They'd explained it to him — numerous times, he was sure — but he'd been too busy complaining to himself as they'd made the final preparations.

As usual, Kagome was nowhere to be seen. She'd stormed off to the well two days ago, with nary a peep… unless one counted the shouting match they'd had about twenty minutes prior to her leaving. That might have had something to do with it. There was just no telling with that girl. One minute he thought he had her figured out, the next she was like a completely different person. He even had to confirm her human scent on occasion, just to make sure. There were days she was more of a demon than he was.

Attempting to stretch his aching muscles for the umpteenth time, Inu-Yasha listened with dulled hearing as footsteps were coming too close to his hiding place…prison was more like it. He readied himself to run to the well… the old hag had made him swear he'd run and return in three days' time, so he had to honor it or else the hag would give Kagome permission to 'sit' him as many times as the girl saw fit… not quite his favorite pastime.

Glad to see it was only Kouga's two lackeys, Inu-Yasha knew the wolf wasn't too far behind, probably bringing Sesshomaru and everyone else along with him. Great, that was all he needed was for everyone to be right in front of him and be able to do nothing about it but sit in his own little… bespelled bubble.

A whirlwind was the only indication of Kouga's arrival, and Inu-Yasha was glad he couldn't catch the scent of the scrawny wolf at that moment. He'd much rather smell a distinct floral scent drifting from the well…

Ready to smack his head against the nearest hard surface, Inu-Yasha reasoned that such thoughts were only signs of weakness from his human body. Had to be. No way he'd ever think such thoughts on his own.

Except for that one time…

And the time after that… and…

Clutching his head in his hands, he dug his ridiculously-short nails into his scalp as deeply as he could stand it, suddenly catching a familiar scent, despite his weakened mortal senses. He'd know that scent anywhere, for it had followed him all throughout his life. Countless years had been spent trying to elude the scent on nights like this, while on all other nights he sought the scent, to better himself.

Danger.

Something bad was going to happen, but he couldn't let anyone know for at least two reasons:

1. he'd give up his hiding place and be sat

2. he didn't know what the danger was or where it came from

Sure, either Sesshomaru or Kouga was a danger at this point, but the feeling wasn't the same. He couldn't have explained it if he'd tried, and he wasn't sure he _wanted_ to.

Chancing an upward glance, Inu-Yasha saw all the players in place, as though he'd left his body and were seeing it all from a bird's eye view. Miroku, Sango, and Kirara were gathered about the well, creating a sort of safe passage for him in case he felt he needed to run… tch, as if he'd be stupid enough to run from his hiding place in human form in front of Sesshomaru.

Fat chance. Just because Kouga had seen him didn't mean the whole damn world had to know, thank you very much.

Taking a closer look, Inu-Yasha took note that Shippo was hiding on Kirara's back. He also saw that Rin was seated behind Jaken, looking bored and ready to trip the toad or at least hit him in the head with the slingshot Kagome had shown her how to make… the toad would never know what hit him. Of course, Inu-Yasha had no idea how in the world the girl had learned how to make such a thing. Kagome was like… purity. Watching her make a weapon — even something so small as a slingshot — surprised and confused him. Who had taught pure, innocent Kagome how to make such a thing?

Having no time to think on it further, Inu-Yasha was still in his out-of-body feeling. He could see everyone beneath him, and even saw himself crouched beneath a clump a bushes. There were the three about the well, Sesshomaru stood with his golden eyes glaring as Kouga scented the air, stumped when Kagome's scent disappeared at the well. They were all there, and the air seemed to hum with excitement at the combination of their auras plus that of the well itself.

Then _it_ happened.

The danger struck like lightning, forcing Inu-Yasha's vision back to his own perspective from beneath the brush. It was only after a moment that he realized the spell about him had been broken, and he was free to move… and be seen. Still, no one had caught sight of him yet, nor had they scented him… which worried him to no end. Certainly _someone_ had to have scented him.

Until he noticed he wasn't under the bush anymore. In fact it was very dark and the scents that assaulted his nose were too familiar for comfort, for even without his superior _hanyou_ senses did he know where he was.

He was in Kagome's family's well house…

And he was not alone.

--------------------

((19.3.07)) A/N: For the love of Loki I am _not_ dead and this _is_ a rewrite of a rewrite! There, now that I have _that_ out of the way, on to business.

My original 'A Little Misunderstanding' got no reviews, and as I was rereading it, it didn't take me all that long to figure out why…

It sucked. You don't have to tell me. Sometimes it hurts more not to.

So, I've decided to revamp the whole thing and make life fun… either for you or for me I have not yet decided. Please excuse/tolerate my getting back into fanfic mode… it's been a while. And yes, the perverted Tora is coming back to taunt you with random sexual references… but I have a new OC to accompany him! A nice hard-ass guy to compliment — not Leota, I dumped that name — but Lilaya. Whose past is slightly modified from 'Friendly Persuasion' and 'A Little Misunderstanding' 1.

Thanks for reading!

O-chan


	2. Bound to & for Tokyo

Chapter Two:

Bound to/for Tokyo 

"I want you to go down to Tokyo. Keep an eye on her as I cannot. Watch, study, _learn_ her, Sono. Find out why she cannot be allowed to Dance. Do whatever it takes to stop her from Dancing."

He bowed his head, his ponytail pulled so tight that he thought he could feel his eyelids moving higher than they already were, "Yes, Father. Whatever it takes to stop her, just short of killing her."

"Did I say not to kill her, Sono?" His father asked with a quirked eyebrow, "By all means, Son, if you get the chance, _do_ it. No one's managed to do it yet — rumor says she's protected or some such nonsense — but kill her if you can.

If her death, however, were ever to endanger your own life, then don't bother. If you both have knives at your throats and your killing her would result in her killing you, then forget it. I'll not have my only son — only child and heir — foolishly put himself in danger."

"Yes, Father, I understand. Stop her any way I can. Should I get the chance to kill, I will do so, but not at the cost of my own life. Does that sum it up?"

His father turned away with a curt nod, signaling both his agreement and the dismissal of his son. Taking the silent queue, Sono left and went to his room to ready himself for the long journey ahead of him.

He lay on his bed of silken sheets and plumped pillows, the light top sheet tangling his legs and exposing certain parts of him to the cool morning air that he'd rather not have had showing… his ears. So, practically diving under the pillow, he just barely avoided hearing the crisp knock at the door… plus the three following poundings. Poor door.

"I know you're in there you lazy ass! Get up and open this door right now!"

Groaning as his paradise shattered and his head pounded, he moved the pillow off of his head and rolled himself out of bed, dragging the sheet with him. Holding it about his waist while going to the door and unlocking it, he let it creak open as he was faced with his most faithful servant.

"You called, Rosham?" He asked as the poor manservant cleared his throat and fought a blush at his Lord's state of undress.

"Your parents have requested your presence." Rosham explained with nary a stutter as he turned to leave.

He st5ifled a chuckle, "Aren't you going to tell me where I am to find them? The garden? Their inner or outer chambers? The bathroom?"

"The garden, Milord," Rosham nodded before he half turned, "will you be needing anything else?"

"Well, you could actually do your job and help me dress."

Unable to stop the shifting of his eyes, Rosham reluctantly nodded before stepping into his Lord's room as said Lord shut the door behind him. Lord and servant they may be, but that was on the outside. Alone, they were the best of friends, just as they'd been as children.

"Any idea why your parents would summon you at a time when they know you're sleeping off a hangover? It's still morning, for Kami's sake!"

He groaned, "My head would like to remind you that — as it is still morning — to keep your voice down. My fist would like to add that aforementioned hangover is still controlling him and that you will receive a fist to the face for every word you speak above normal hangover volume."

"Sorry," Rosham whispered as he stepped over to the closet, "what would you like to wear today? I'm guessing it to be pretty import-… hey!"

One swift move was all it had taken for his Lord to pin him up against the cool closet doors, "You know, I expected a whole different 'Good morning,' from you."

My L-… er, Kenkichi, there's no time. Besides, speaking of time, that was the first — and last — time I ever woke you like that. I was foolish and… and… young! Young is synonymous with foolish! _You_ should know _that_!"

Kenkichi smiled lazily, sheet forgotten at his feet, "Actually I was thinking about that time in your uncle's stable. Much more enjoyable and… fulfilling, you could say."

A deep blush spread across Roham's cheeks as he fumbled for words and was saved by another knock, "My Lord, your presence has been immediately requested in the garden."

"Coming, Mokran," he said as he heard the footsteps leave from in front of his door, "or rather, I'm not. I'm being deprived… at least, for now. Isn't that right, Ro-kun?"

"You're impossible." Rosham muttered as he was release and allowed to open the closet while his naked lord stood with his arms crossed over his chest.

Finding a pair of light khaki pants, Rosham knelt down and was embarrassed by the fact that his friend and lord wore no underwear whatsoever. Suddenly realizing his grave error, he hoped nothing would be said about it.

Wishful thinking, he knew…

"Oh Ro-kun," Kenkichi smiled while his friend stared at the floor, "while you're down there…"

"No."

Pouting as he stepped into his pants, he cursed, "It was worth a try though, eh? How about later?"

"Maybe. Depends what your parents need you for and how long."

"I could order you." Kenkichi said as he dismissed the offered belt. He liked pants that hung low on his hips.

"Could," Rosham nodded as he stood, "but you won't. You always regret it afterward."

"Good point. I'll see you later. Hopefully I won't be too long."

Bloody hell… he'd been here for hours!

"We want you to understand that this is best for all of us. Now please, Son, sign your name onto the first line of the poor girl's registry."

He looked up at his parents, doubtful of the intentions behind all of this, "You're sure she knows about this? She'll see this as soon as I sign it?"

"Absolutely. This is her future as well as yours, Kenkichi. Her Family is respectable and trustworthy."

"_As well as wealthy and the eldest Family on this side of the Wall_." He thought bitterly as he looked down at the piece of parchment in front of him, sighing as he picked up the fountain pen provided.

A registry was a sheet of parchment given to young girls with ten lines. Each line was a place for a man to sign his name… in essence, a marriage agreement. If, by a certain age set by the parents, the girl had not married a man of her own choosing, then those who had signed the registry would be placed into a tournament whereupon the winner would go against he who had signed first.

Being first on a registry was always an honor, for it meant you were automatically in the 'semi-finals' of the tournament. Once a man was signed as first to a registry, his name must then be removed from any other registry he had signed. No man was allowed to be the first on more than one registry. The only other way to be removed from a registry was rejection or death.

Of the five he'd already signed, this was the only one on which he'd been first, hence all the formality… well, everyone else was formal while he wore his khakis and no shirt. Some girls' registries were full by the age of twelve, or some before they were even born, which always led to difficulties. Arranged marriages always had that effect here. If not full by twelve, then they were at least half filled. No more than ten men could sign, which had caused several problems and the law was in debate even now. Until the matter was solved, however, ten was the limit.

Still, of all the registries he'd ever heard of or signed, this was the first to be blank. Not even a name in pencil that had been erased. It looked brand new, still crisp and fresh. The girl must be nothing short of absolutely _horrid_.

He felt his soul quiver as he signed his name on the first line.

He sighed for the millionth time as he drove through the crowded streets. He hated market day… at least, hated driving on market day. What he hated most of all, however, were the things he'd said about a girl he'd never met. To this day his name was _still_ the only one on that registry. No one even bothered asking after it, for everyone tried avoiding her at all costs, and he couldn't understand why. He didn't care what anyone said:

She was beautiful.

No doubt about it, and if anyone said otherwise, he'd kill the son of a bitch. End of story.

"Weren't you supposed to turn there?"

"Goddammit!" He exclaimed as he forewent his turning signal and turned the steering wheel sharply to the right as his passenger nearly slammed into the window, "You _live_ to piss me off, _don't_ you?"

"Of course, because everything just revolves around _you_."

"See? You're doing it again," he grumbled, driving slowly and trying to find the friend he was supposed to be picking up, "where did she say she'd wait?"

"By the fruit stand."

"And where _is_ the enigmatic fruit stand?"

"By the vegetable cart."

He growled, "Which is _where_, Raven?"

"Three blocks in the other direction," Raven said coolly as he pointed towards the rear window, "honestly, Tora, do you _ever_ listen to a _word_ Aya-sama says?"

Not about to dignify Raven's rhetorical question with a retort, Tora decided to dump him out of the car and get someone who would actually _read_ the map _to_ him rather than wait to the last minute to notify him of a missed turn. Already they were fifteen minutes late and would get nothing short of _hell_ if they ever reached their destination.

Twenty minutes later…

Soaked and sitting on a towel, Tora was nothing short of bristling by the time they pulled up to the fruit stand, seeing their friend waiting while munching on some piece of fruit and holding an umbrella in her right hand. That was the other thing he needed to stock in his trunk: an umbrella.

Finishing her fruit and walking to the car, she opened the back door, closed and shook out her umbrella, and shut the door with a 'click', allowing the silence to eat away at the men's souls before speaking calmly, if only in clipped sentences.

"Where have you been for the past thirty-five minutes?"

It was amazing how she could make a question seem like an accusation. Like those the angry cops used on those TV shows when interrogating the suspect in the good cop/bad cop scenarios.

"Took a couple of wrong turns."

"Did you not have directions?"

"I would have," Tora said as he pulled away and began the long drive up to Tokyo, "if Raven had given them to me."

She turned her cold gray gaze to the passenger seat in front of her, "And why didn't you give him the directions? Do you not realize how important this is?"

"Don't even try pulling that 'new guy' crap, either. You've been with us for the past couple of months, so that's no excuse."

"It's not like everyone's a fountain of information, either," Raven grumbled, pushing his bangs out of his eyes, "I have to wring water from a dry sponge just to find anything out from either of you."

"Tora, you take this one. I didn't sleep well last night and you're much better at embellishing a story than I am. Wake me when we get within two miles of Tokyo."

Sighing as he watched Aya unfasten her seatbelt and lie down in the back of the car, Tora turned a glare to Raven before putting his eyes back on the road and telling the story with as many clipped off portions as possible, "Back in a time where there was no annoying Raven, Aya-sama had come to Tokyo on… business, of sorts. Anyway, while she was here, she met a girl who really changed something in her. They became best friends, inseparable.

Aya-sama delayed going back where she'd come from as long as she could. Finally, she couldn't delay it anymore. Her father sent me to come get her, and — lemme tell 'ya — Aya-sama didn't wanna go. When she doesn't want to go somewhere, she lets you know it upfront. So anyway, when the girl found out _why_ Aya had to leave, she wasn't very happy. The two of them started fighting, both of them on the same side of the argument: not wanting Aya to go, but Aya-sama knew she _had_ to go so…"

Raven blinked, hating when Tora left stories on a cliffhanger, "So? What happened? They argued and then what?"

"Aya-sama ended up leaving anyway, only not the way either she or I had planned. She left in an ambulance, more dead than alive. Both the hospital staff and I swear she died—or was at least clinically dead—but came back all of a sudden, her vitals resuming their normal levels and nothing out of the ordinary. Then she escaped from the hospital and has been on the run from her father ever since."

"Now what does any of this have to do with us going to Tokyo for our show in two weeks?" Raven asked, thinking he knew the connection yet wanting to make sure. Things about Aya-sama's past were always mysteries… hell, Aya herself was a mystery.

Her name was known across the world, mostly for her success as a unifier of multiple genres of music. She'd been known to mix elements of classical and rock music, appealing to a widely-varied audience that included teenagers all the way up to grandparents as well as everyone in between.

They'd been touring for a little while now, with Raven just having joined their group a few months ago, bringing with him talents as a pianist and intermediate dancer. Tora himself was merely there for extra things, things like sound as well as making sure the equipment worked. He went on stage just as Aya or Raven did, but contributed only background effects and accompanying the choreography to the music Aya herself had written.

Looking back at their lead vocalist, violinist, flutist, and semi-pianist, Raven had to wonder just what sort of life she'd led before turning to music for help… and who was this friend who had nearly killed such a headstrong woman?

"It has everything to do with it," Tora said as-a-matter-of-factly, "Aya's once-friend's mom got in touch with Aya not too long ago, and they started talkin' about stuff, and about the upcoming show. Apparently, we've been invited to stay there until we're finished in Tokyo… unfortunately, I don't think the friend knows 1) she's gonna have the one and only Aya in her house and 2) said singer was once her best friend that she nearly killed."

"At least she won't be alone this time. She'll have us."

"And a lot of help _we_ do. You know Aya-sama loves our help as much as she loves snakes."

It was well-known that Aya hated and killed every snake she saw.

"So we're staying with the once-friend and her mom… but where is that? Still in Tokyo, right?"

"Oh sure it is, and it's one of Aya-sama's favorite places in the world. Of course, she hasn't set foot in Tokyo since the incident ten years ago. I'm sure you've never heard of it, being an outsider and all that…"

"I know enough about Japan and it's customs, thank you." Raven half growled as Aya mumbled in her sleep.

Tora rolled his eyes and turned off the nearest exit, "It's the Higurashi Shrine, home of Aya-sama's favorite tree and people: the Higurashi family, and the Goshinboku tree."

((March 26, 2007)) A/N: I hope you don't mind the long chapter about… nothing… had to tie it in somehow or else I was sure someone would accuse me of not writing a fanfic. Chap 3 deals more on Inu's problems with things, I promise. ;;;;

Kookookitty – I'm glad you like this one, & yes, this is a rewrite. It's actually like this: I wrote "Friendly Persuasion", finished it, & suddenly had an idea to redo it, making Kouga sort of evil with the excuse of being cursed by Naraku or something of the sort. Well, I tried that & grew tired of it after 11 chapters & have now started this little project, which I'm liking very much, actually. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.


	3. Dangling on the Edge

Chapter Three:

Dangling on the Edge  


"Inu-Yasha, are you saying that you honestly believe us to have been transported forward to Lady Kagome's time?"

He gestured to the well house, "How fast do you think the villagers can build a thing like this, Monk? Especially with us sitting at the bottom of the well."

"But we've never been able to use the Bone-Eater's Well," Sango said softly, "so why and how can we now?"

"How the hell am _I_ supposed to know? I don't even know how _they_ got here." Inu-Yasha exclaimed as he pointed to a still-unconscious pile that consisted of Ginta and Hakkaku — in wolf form — Kouga, Shippo, Rin, and even Jaken… albeit as a toad. Sesshomaru was nowhere to be seen.

Miroku shrugged, "At least one good thing has come of this."

"And what's _that_?"

"They're all human," the monk said as he gestured to the lack of pointy ears and tails on the _youkai_, "somehow, the well not only transported us here, but turned our _youkai_ companions to humans."

Inu-Yasha smirked, "Feh, wish that bastard Sesshomaru were here. I'd cut his other damn arm off. His head, too, while I was at it."

"Inu-Yasha, don't you think it would be wise to alert Lady Kagome of our presence? She may wish to know that she has more company than usual."

"All right, but you're all coming with me so you don't touch anything. Kirara can watch the fleabags." He grumbled as Kirara—now an actual single-tailed cat—meowed and sat guard next to the still-sleeping wolves, Shippo, and Rin.

Grumbling over how it was always up to him to do things and about the overall shoddiness of the situation, Inu-Yasha directed them to follow him as they headed out of the well-house and towards Kagome's place, hoping someone was there to help them.

Five minutes later…

Stepping into the house, the first thing Inu-they heard was music. It was soft, gentle, like a breeze rustling the trees of the Goshinboku, that cursed tree to which Inu-Yasha been pinned by the woman of Kagome's previous life, the priestess Kikyo.

Thank the Gods _she_ hadn't come here too.

Heading to the living room where the music came from, he tugged the others to keep up and stopped in the doorway, surprised by the sight that greeted him.

Kagome sat straddling the windowsill with her back toward them, clad in a pair of weird blue _hakama_ and a small blue shirt. Her dark hair was pulled in a high bun, two strands framing her face like twin calligraphic strokes. On both wrists she wore silver bracelets, and in her left hand she held what looked to be an instrument, black in color with a wide base, narrow neck, and four strings across a dark fingerboard. In her right hand she held a matching black stick with cream-colored hairs that she drew back and forth across the strings of the black instrument. The music that resulted was beautiful, and they were all three mesmerized by the movements of her fingers to create the different notes.

And then she sang.

The song itself was gorgeous, but the tonality was heavy, overflowing with sadness and the feeling of being confined. Inu-Yasha knew the feeling all-too well to mistake it for anything else. The words were of no language he'd ever heard, but it was enjoyable, for the most part. The thing that made him wonder was what had happened to Kagome to make her feel the emotions portrayed in this song? And if she could play and sing so well, why hadn't she ever done so for them on their long trips?

She definitely had some answering to do. Test, huh? If she just wanted to get away to play music, why hadn't she just told him so? It wasn't like her to lie about why she was going home, so what was the reason for doing so now?

Still, she was playing so nicely that neither he, nor Sango or MIroku wanted to stop her. The music was like a spell that struck its victim motionless, too captivated to do anything other than listen.

She stopped then, the song trailing off on what seemed like a cliffhanger. Setting the strange instrument across her lap, Kagome frowned as she took a pencil from behind her left ear and began writing something down on a piece of paper held down by her right leg. She finished, frowned again, erased what she'd just written, and began grumbling as she wrote something else, seemingly satisfied with these new notations.

Not wanting to bother her and just wanting to listen to more music, Inu-Yasha forced himself to be the harbinger of doom as he stepped forward into the room and cleared his throat, "Hey, you got a minute?"

She turned to look at him calmly, as though she'd known of his presence all along, "Hm? What?"

"I asked you if you had a minute. We need to talk."

"We do?" She asked as she propped the instrument up on her left knee and held it by the neck, he guessed she was imagining her hands around his own neck, "Funny, I'd like to think I'd know if I needed to talk to someone. Well, you're here, so what do we need to talk about?"

"You don't see anything wrong with this?" He asked as he gestured to Miroku, Sango, and himself.

She looked at them each in turn, examining them carefully, and then shaking her head, "Hm, nope. Though I will ask this: what are you all dressed up for? Is there a festival going on today that I somehow didn't know about and am missing out on?"

"Sama? Are you in here?" Called a voice as a red-haired man stepped in with a relieved look on his face, "Ah there you are, I wondered where you'd wandered off to."

"Wander? I didn't 'wander' anywhere; I've been in the same place for the past two hours." She muttered as she grabbed her pages of paper, hopped down from the sill, and stood with an air of — confidence? — to face the taller man.

Inu-Yasha frowned at that. Kagome never stood like that… unless she were jabbing his chest with her finger before telling him to 'sit'. Sure, he knew she had other clothes, but she'd never shown her stomach before and he'd rarely seen her wear jewelry. Her voice seemed different, too, now that he thought about it… and had her ears always been pierced?

"Whether you wandered or not, Raven needs you to check out the keyboard. Says he thinks something's wrong with it."

"I'll get to you in a minute, just as soon as I'm done dealing with these folks over here," she said as she transferred the stick to her left hand and gestured to the _hanyou_-turned-human, the monk, and the demon slayer, "did you schedule this meeting and didn't tell me? Said they needed to talk to me and I can't figure out what it's about and it's nagging me."

He shook his head, "Nope, haven't the slightest idea who they are. I don't schedule your appointments anymore, remember? You left that to Raven."

"I did? Really? Oh! Now I remember, that's right, I did. You kept making all those x-rated phone calls."

"_They_ called _me_!"

"Tell that to my phone bill," she grumbled as she put the instrument and stick in its case and shut the lid, "now then, back to business. So who are you people anyway? You look like choreographers, and, if you are, then I don't think we need to spend anymore time together because I already have one. Good day to you."

Miroku stepped forward then, a quizzical look on his face, "You mean you don't recognize us?"

She looked over at him over her shoulder, "Can't recognize someone I don't know."

The monk looked perplexed, looking the strange young woman over and then seeing a chair in the corner of the room, "If I could ask for just another moment of your time to ask you one more question?"

"Sure." She shrugged, instrument case in hand.

"Tell me," Miroku began as he pointed to the chair, "what do you do on a chair?"

The red-haired man smirked, "I could think of a few things…"

"He wasn't asking you," she half-snapped before looking from MIroku to the chair and back again, "on a chair? I don't know… sit on it?"

There was an expectant pause between the five of them and it was Sango who commented, "Nothing happened."

"Do you think the well neutralized the beads?" Miroku asked as he looked at the young woman and back to Inu-Yasha's necklace.

Inu-Yasha came over his feeling of joy at the 's'-word not working, a frown working its way onto his face, "Where's Kagome?"

The woman seemed to become defensive, though she didn't even move, "What do you want with Kagome-chan?"

"So you know her?" Inu-Yasha pressed.

She rolled her eyes, "Would I be in her house if I didn't know her? Besides, she's where she always is at this time of day: school."

"Then who are you?"

"I could ask you the same thing," she said as she handed the red-haired man the instrument case and hooked her thumbs in the pockets of her blue _hakama_-like garment, "I've known Kagome-chan since we were kids, and I've never seen either of you. I've also never heard of people even remotely _like_ you. So, seeing as how I can offer up that much information, I ask you: who are you?"

The three of them contemplated their answer, for it was obvious the woman wasn't going to let them remain silent. It was Miroku who spoke next.

"We are also friends of Lady Kagome, and I doubt she talks about us very much. How many people do you know would admit to having friends that dress as we do?"

She looked them over once again, "Believe me, I've dressed in clothes a lot worse than those and she still talks about me."

"But not to us," Miroku said calmly, "we've never heard of a young woman like you as you have never heard of us. Just as we have never seen you."

She seemed to relax, even just a fraction, as though deciding Miroku were… an opponent, of some sort, "You know, you and Tora are pretty good at this whole smooth-talking business. Tora, tell the man what you learned the hard way."

"This woman," the red-haired man began, "will not believe anything she doesn't see for herself or else know for a fact to be true. So unless you can prove it to her, you're stuck. Anyway you can prove you're Kagome-san's friends?"

"She has a large yellow bag." Sango shrugged, not knowing what sort of proof the woman wanted.

She snorted, "Any stalker could know that."

About to come up with another bit of proof, the three were stopped as the front door opened and Sota burst through, followed by his mother, "We're home. Sorry we were gone so long, but… oh, Inu-Yasha, so good to see you. Ah, who did you bring with you?"

"Hi Mom," the girl said with a small smile before gesturing to the three strangers before her, "you know them?"

"Oh sure. Well, I know Inu-Yasha, and I've only ever heard of these two," Mrs. Higurashi said, planning her words carefully, "I just never thought he'd be able to bring them with him. Strict rules you know."

She nodded, knowing what it was like living with rules so strict it seemed as though even your next breath were planned, "And Kagome-chan knows them?"

"Absolutely, they've been friends for a while now. I meant to mention it to you, but I didn't think we'd be seeing them."

Nodding once again, she looked them over one last time, attempting to find even one ounce of charlatan within any of them. She was that way, she supposed, needing to find flaws in everyone she met. Though she hadn't majored in history, she guessed their clothes to be that of the Feudal Era, or somewhere close to that time.

"Nice to meet you then," she said with a soft smile and nod of acknowledgement, "I'm Lilaya, but most friends call me Lila."

Inu-Yasha returned the nod before turning to Mrs. Higurashi, "The others are back in the well-house sleepin'. Guess the three of us weren't enough."

"There are more of you? How many more?" Lilaya asked as she shifted her weight to her other foot.

"Five," Miroku answered for her with his sly, perverted smile, "well three, actually, if you don't count the wolves."

A loud -thwack- resounded through the room as Inu-Yasha hit the monk on the head and Sango looked ready to do the same. No one wanted to hear that there were wolves on their property.

"I'm sorry, did you say wolves?" Tora asked as an unreadable look had come over Lilaya's face.

The silence was thick in the air, and Inu-Yasha was sure even his Tetsusaiga couldn't have cut through it, "In the well-house, you said? May I go see? That is, if Mom doesn't mind having wolves on the grounds?"

"Of course not," Mrs. Higurashi smiled, "I know they'll be kept in check. Besides, there have been worse things at this shrine than wolves."

"_And I'm one of them_," Lilaya thought grimly before forcing a smile on her face, "so? Would you mind? I don't know your names, but I think we're going to get along just fi-…"

"Kagome-chan!" Exclaimed the voices of a young girl boy voice as said children came bounding through the living room and latching themselves onto each of Lilaya's legs.

Confused, Lilaya put her hand atop their heads and smiled, "No, no, no, I'm not Kagome, I'm Kagome-chan's friend."

It was obvious the two weren't listening, so Lilaya gave up… not that she could talk anyway, for three — two, Lilaya, learn to count — wolves poked their heads into the living room, two with dark gray coats and the other…

Startling blue eyes and hair like onyx stepped forward, holding her fast where she stood… as if the children weighing her down weren't enough. She couldn't breathe, couldn't move… it was strange, this pulling sensation she felt. Stronger even than that of the pocky she'd bought earlier because it had called to her to buy it.

Kagome had certainly made no mention of _this_ friend, he who walked with wolves and walked like one himself… no, the man didn't walk; he _stalked_, almost. Like a cat ready to pounce unbeknownst on some poor piece of string.

What sound did string make when nervous?

-Dangle, dangle.-

A/N: ((April 4, 2007))

Sorry for the delay! Six whole pages of random crappiness, I know, but I've rewritten this chapter _four times_ already… -cries- Also, sorry for the cliffy & crappy ending, but I wanted to get it over with because I felt as though I were beating the proverbial dead horse one too many times as it was.

So anyway, please enjoy this, I promise to keep this nice and organized with as little Mary-Sue-ness as possible. She's just kinda cocky, not all-powerful, okay? Lilaya likes to make people thing that she _is_ all-powerful, and she _is_... but only in her music. When you create something, you become the master of it, so she is the master of her music. Bear with me! She has kinks! I will work them out as best I can.

And as a side note: I had my birthday yesterday & I spent the majority of it typing this up for you… so please be happy/patient with this.

Thank you,

O-chan


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